Advertising projecting device.



C. ERSKINE. ADVERTISING PROJECT ING DEVICE.

APPLICATIQN FILED AUG. 2|, I916.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

a SHEETS-SWEET '2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE ERSKINE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BARBIE H. WALSH, OFCHICAGO,

- ILLINOIS.

ADVERTISING PROJECTING DEVICE.

, Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed August 21. 1916. Serial No. 115,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE ERSKIN E, a citizen of the United States, anda resldent of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and will immediately attract and hold theattenremoved.

tion of the passersby to the matter advertised by reason of the uniquemanner in which it 1s presented. To this end the device is con-.structed and arranged to throw upon a dark screen, which forms part ofthe device, illuminated characters, letters or devices forming words,sentences and the like, part of which are stationary and part of whichmove in an endless procession across the screen.

The many advantagesof the invention will appear as I proceed with myspecification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved advertisingdevice.

F g. 2 represents a top plan view of the device as it appears with thecover plate Fig. 3 represents a central, longitudinal vertical sectionalview through the device, the plane of the section being indicated by theline 3, 3 of Fig. 2.

Figzci represents an enlarged detail, sectional view of several of theparts shown in Fig. 3 and will be more specifically referred to later.

Fig. 5 represents a transverse, vertical, sectional view through thedevice, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 5,5ofFig.2.

Fig. 6 represents a horizontal detail, sectional view. the plane of thesection being in-' dicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 represents a vertical, detail, sec

tiona-l view, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 7-7of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 represents a fragmentary view, in elevation of an endless bandwhich bears the words, letters or other characters to be presented in anendless procession upon the screen.

Referring now to that embodiment of my invention, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings :10 indicates a rectangular, long box or casingwhich contains the operating mechanism of my improved advertisingdevice. This casing is preferably made of sheet metal and has side walls11, 11, a rear end wall 13, a bottom wall 14 and a remove able top wall15. The side walls are connected together near their front ends at thetop by means of a transverse bar or plate 12-, which acts as a bracebetween said walls. 12 indicates the front wall of the casing which isremovable. Said wall is made of glass and forms the screen upon whichthe words, letters, characters or the like, forming the sign, areprojected.

17 indicates an upright, transverse partition wall, which divides thecasing longitudinally into front and rear compartments 181 and 19. Thefront compartment 18 is dark and is the projecting chamber while therear compartment 19 provides a housing for the projecting apparatus andlamp and for a motor and other operating mechanism of the device. i 4

In the rear compartment 19 about half way between its top and bottom,there are fixed to theupright walls of the casing two horizontal,longitudinally extending shelves or plates 20, 21 (see Fig. 2). Saidplates are separated by an .intermediat space which is occupied by theprojecting appara tus. Said space is bridged at the front and rear byvertically arranged plates 22. 23

which constitute supports for the lenses of throu said 1s a flared tube22 which projects of said opening upright plates 26, 26 (see Fig. 6),the three plates forming a frame to receive and support a lens holder ortube 27 Said lens tube is in line with the opening 23 in the plate 23.28, 29 indicate the familiar planoconvex condensing lenses mounted inthe tube 27. The lens tube 27 isretained in its supporting frame bymeans of an upright plate 30, the side margins of which are attached tosuitable flanges on the upright plates 26, 26, of said frame. The plate30 has a rearwardly extending top flange 31 which engages upon andcovers the top of the lens tube 27 (see Fig. 4).

In the plate 30 are formed a plurality of slots or openings which blockout spaces through which the advertising characters are to be rojected.As shown there are three of said s ots, 32, 33 and 34. The top andbottom slots 32, 34, in this case are associated with stationaryadvertising matter. The intermediate slot 33 is associated with the travcling advertising matter. Said slots are preferably covered by means ofcolored strips of glass or of other translucent material 32, 33 and 34which are held against the front face of the plate 30 in any convenientmanner. As shown, said strips are held in place by means of open frameplates 32", 35 and 34", which are removably fixed to the uprightsupporting plate 30- in any suitable manner.

endless opaque band 36 in which are stenciled the letters, characters orother devices which provide the traveling advertising matter.

The front lens supporting plate 22 has an openlng 22 of smaller diameterthan, but in axial alinement with, theopening 23 in the rear plate 23.Fixed to the front face of plate, concentric with the opening 22", atits front end through a suitable hole in the partition wall 17 into thedark compartment 18.

37 indicates a tubular lens casing attached by means of a radial flange37 at its front end to the rear face of the plate22, in axialialninement with the opening 22 in 50 said plate. the rear end of saidcasing is fixed a concavo-convex objective lens 38. The objectrve lenscasing 37 is inclosed by a telescopmg tube 37 comprising two sections 37and 37. The front section 37 is attached at its front end to the plate22 and the other section telescopes upon the first section andcloses atits rear end upon the plate 30.

Back of the project device is placed a lamp 40 which is locate in suchmanner as to dlrect the rays of light given out by it, h the condensinglenses 28, 29.

i lam is provided with a high power electric bul preferably what isknown as a nitrogen lamp. Said lampis mounted as shown on a bracket 39(see Fig. 6) which The intermediate plate 35 is a channel bar with alongitudinal slot 35 and forms a guide for a moving,

memes? jecting device. The lens tube 27 and the plates connected theretopreferabl have ventilating openings (see Figs. 3 an 4) to provide anupward circulation of air between the condensing lenses and toward theopenings 15 in the top wall of the casing. The rear wall 13 of thecasing has an opening 13 back of the lamp for getting at the partscontained in the rear compartment 19. Said opening is closed by a hingeddoor 13.

('.1lhe endless opaque band 36 which provi es ported in the rearcompartment 19 as follows. Upon the shelves 20, 21 (see Fig. 2)

the traveling advertising matter is supare mounted a plurality offlangedrollers or spools, 40, 41, 42 on the shelf 20 and 40 41 42 on theshelf.21. Sald rollers have bearing onsuitable upright studs all "ofwhich, except in the case of the roller 40,

are fixed to the shelves. The rollers 40, 42 and 40*, 42 are placed atthe four corners of the compartment 19. The rollers 41, 41 are placednearer the projecting device with their rear peripheries tangential tothe plane of the guide strip 35 that provides support for the band 36 inits passage through the projecting-device. All of the rollers are in acommon horizontal plane with the guide strip 35 and the endless band 36is passed about them and through the guide strip in w a tortuous path,as illustrated in Fig. 2. The stud on which the .roller 40 has bearingis fixed to a horizontally swin armor plate 44which is pivoted at 45 tothe shelf 20. The free end of said arm is connected by a coiledcontractile spring 44 to a fixed part of the. casing in such manner asto tend to swing it forwardly, thereby taking up any slack in the bandand providing tension therein.

' A motor and gearing as follows are provided to impart a continuoustraveling movement to the band 36. An upright shaft 50' (see Figs. 2 and6) is mounted between the roller 41" and the adjacentside wall of thecasing. Said shaft has bearing in plates 51, 51 fixed respectivelyto-the bottom wall of the casing and to the bottom sideofthe shelf 21. Aworm'gear 52 fixed to the shaft 50 meshes with a worm 53 on a horizontalshaft 54 which has bearing in upright standards 55 attached to thebottom wall of the casing. A large. pulley 56 on the shaft 54 is coningadvertising matter.

nected by a belt 57 to the small driving ulley of an electric motor 58.Thus the s aft 50 is driven by the motor 58, but at greatly reducedspeed.

The shaft 50. projects upwardly through the shelf 21 and has fixed to ita toothed wheel 60. (See Fig. 7). The teeth of said wheel are adapted toengage in holes 36 in the band 36. The holes 36 are provided throughoutthe entire length of the band near one edge (the top edge in this case)(see Fig. 8) and are spaced at equal distances apart. A springcontrolled presser roll 61 mounted in any suitable manner on the shelf21 adjacent to the shaft 50 holds the band 36 in proper engagement withthe toothed wheel 60. From the foregoing it will be apparent that whenthe motor 58 is I operating, a continuous, feeding movement in onedirection (as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2) will be imparted to theband 36.

The band 36, as has been said, is opaque and is made preferably of thinmetal. Letters, characters, or other devices that are to constitute thetraveling-or moving advertising matter, .are cut out or stenciled inthis band-the characters or letters and the like being thus-defined byopen spaces through which light may pass. This band may be made of anysuitable, preferably non-inflammable, material and the devicesconstituting the sign may-be blocked out in any desirable or convenientmanner, it being simply necessary that the band he so made,

that whenlight is passed through it, the characters defined upon it willbe blocked out by the llght so that they may be thrown on a screen asthe band-is passed through its guide plate 35 in front of the condensinglenses.

The heretofore mentioned plates 32" and 3 L" (placed respectively aboveand below the traveling band) are stenciled, cut or otherwise formed toblock out characters, letters, or otherdevices, so that the lightpassing through said plates will throw said characters on a screen inthe same way as m the case of the band. These plates being fixed, carrywhat has been called the statlonary advertising matter, which mayconsist of the name of the concern advertised or other matter associatedwith the travel- The front wall 12 f the casing, whichas has beensaid'is, the screen upon which thesign iS'PiOjGCtQd, has translucentfields 12, 12 and 12 are of such shape and are in such position as toreceive the letters, devices and the like pro ected through the stencilplates-32", 34: and through the traveling band 36. Said fields arepreferably made by sand blasting,

7 or frosting the glass while the remainder ofthe' glass is renderedopaque by black paint or othe passerby.

blocked out upon it. Said fields The operation of the apparatus isapplzltrent from the foregoing description. As t e 35, the light raysfrom the lamp are condensed and projected through the several coloredtransparent strips fixed to the plate 30 and through the stencil plates32 34 and through the band 36. The color plates soften the intense glareorv ray from the lamp before it passes through the stencil openings.after they plates and the band, pass through the objective lens 38 andare thereby projected through the dark compartment 18- and upon theseveral associated fields on the front wall 12 of the casing. The darkcompartment prevents diffusion of the projected light rays and adds tothe 'brilliancy'of the sign thrown on the screen.

the condenser and objective lenses, no mat;

ter what the distance between them may be. When the device is inoperation there is resented upon the various fieldsbf the ront wall ofthe casing, a unique and attractive display. The name of the company orother advertising matter appears stationary and immovable upon thescreen. The

advantages of the use of theiadvertised deviceor of the service renderedby the company advertised, is also presented upon said screen in theform of moving letters or characters defining words which seem to appearfrom nothing at one end of the field and dissolve or fadeaway intonothing at the other The light rays from the lamp have passed throughthe stencil band 36 travels through its guide plate end ofsaid field,new words always appearing in an endless procession to take the place ofthe words fading .out.

My invention possesses many advantages besides the one advantage whicharises by reason of its attracting the attention of the It is made ofnon inflammable material meet various insurance ordinances regardingdisplay devices. It is light in weight and portable and may be readilyused in the display window of a shop or store. It op-.

erate's to advantage either at night as the upon the screen in daylightor light rays are projected The stencils may be easily changed as alsoand is otherwise constructed to through the. inclosed dark compartment,thus conserving the light rays.

the band and the screen may also be changed to correspond' Any suitableswitch (not shown) maybe used ,to control both the motor and thev lamp,s'o that the lamp will' be turned onor "off "at the same time that themotor is started or stopped. While in describing my invention I have 1.A device of the kind described, comprising a casing having a front wallproviding a screen, a projecting apparatus and lamp located in saidcasing at a distance from said front wall, an endless band havingletters, characters and the like blocked out upon it, means forsupporting and guiding said band through said projecting apparatus,means for imparting continuous movement in one direction to said band, afixed plate or plates having letters, characters and the like blockedout upon them and located in said projecting apparatus above or belowsaid traveling band and said screen being provided with translucentfields associated with and adaptedto receive the letters, characters andthe like thrown by said projecting apparatus from said traveling bandand from said fixed plates in the projecting apparatus.

2.A device of the kind described comprising a casing having a front wallproviding a screen, a projecting apparatus and lamp located in saidcasing at a distance from said front wall, an endless band havingletters, characters and the like stenciled or cut in it, means forsupporting and guiding said hand through said projecting apparatus,means for imparting continuous move ment 111 one direction to said band,a fixed acuna? and a projecting-k apparatus located therein, shelvesfixed in said casing at each side of said projecting l apparatus, meanswhereby said projecting apparatus is adjustably supported on saidshelves, an endless band, a slotted guide plate extending through saidprojecting apparatus which constitutes a guidefor'said band, a,plurality of rollers mounted on said shelves which together with saidguide plate provide support for said band in a tortuous path, one ofsaid rollers having a spring controlled bearing movable in a put tensionin said band, and means for imparting movement to said band.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afiix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses, this 15th day of June A. D.1916.

T. H. ALFRED-S, KARL W. Donn direction to

